


Morgause’s Revenge

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Series: Merlin Episodes: AUs, Missing Scenes, and Inspired By [21]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Episode: s02e08 The Sins Of The Father, Gen, Morgause's Motivation (Merlin), Morgause's POV (Merlin), Revenge, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26530609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: InThe Sins of the Father, Morgause sets in motion an internal battle for Prince Arthur’s soul, but an external threat (in the form of a  bracelet) will claim more than Morgana’s soul.Or... how Morgause turned Morgana evil.
Series: Merlin Episodes: AUs, Missing Scenes, and Inspired By [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/640559
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22
Collections: Merlin Canon 2020, Merlin Chat





	Morgause’s Revenge

**Author's Note:**

> Morgause is one of those characters we see repeatedly, yet we never find out her true motivation for coming to Camelot to challenge Arthur.
> 
> This is my idea of her truth, and it was so much fun to write!
> 
> This is a gen fic, but there are small hints of possible Merlin/Arthur (from the narrator’s POV) and there is mention of Morgause having unrequited feelings towards Nimueh. Both of these things are minor.
> 
> Thanks so much to Katie for her excellent beta skills!
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Morgause stared into the crystal, transfixed, as the light of a new day rose higher into the sky. A pair of birds nearby conversed, as birds did, reminding her how much she missed the daily art of communication. 

What she wouldn’t give to have Nimueh poke her head in and exasperatedly proclaim that it was time to go, that if Morgause wanted to arrive in Camelot before dusk she needed to leave now.

Yes, Morgause should have left when the sun met the horizon, but the temptation for one final glimpse of Arthur Pendragon had been too great. She would make up the time by pushing her horse if need be. And she did have magic. Whatever it took, she would soon stand face to face with the Pendragons.

Morgause grinned, giddy with glee as she continued her perusal of the pretty prince who had no idea he would soon be used to right a past wrong.

At this hour he was asleep; his day would begin later than that of most because, of course, the king’s son would have no pressing obligations this early. It was a pity. Morgause wished he were awake – it was much more enjoyable watching him go about his daily routine, especially when that included the boy Merlin, who was vastly entertaining to watch, with his fumbling, bumbling idiot routine that was meant to hide his true nature (although she did think that there had to be a modicum of true idiocy there because no one could be that good an actor) – but she would take what she could. 

At the moment, that meant watching the handsome prince with the golden hair and patrician face breathing in and out as if he hadn’t a care in the world. How easy his life must be, she thought. 

What was there to worry about when you were the son of the king? 

She couldn’t help the momentary wistfulness that ran through her at the thought of what should have been, but she quickly pushed it away. Morgause could ill-afford to allow wishful thinking to cloud her judgment. There would be time for that later. For now she needed to mentally prepare for her upcoming journey, where she hoped she would not encounter any impediments.

There were plenty of those in Camelot.

And one of them was the aforementioned Merlin, who just so happened to enter the image Morgause was witnessing through the crystal. She had not expected this.

He was the prince’s manservant, however, so she probably shouldn’t have been surprised to see him. The boy did, after all, have to wake Arthur at some point. But when Merlin sat on the edge of Prince Arthur’s bed and shook him, it struck her as overly intimate. Was this the method of waking up one’s master these days?

He must have said something because Arthur opened his eyes and glared, but sat up, his comforter slipping down to reveal the slightest glimpse of golden hair that trailed down beneath the covers. 

Were Merlin and the prince sharing a bed? It was a rather large leap to make, and she couldn’t see how it could be; she doubted a Pendragon would be involved with someone who couldn't benefit them in some way, but Morgause guessed stranger things had happened. She would do some careful recognizance once in Camelot. Such a development could prove beneficial.

But for now she wished she could hear what was being said as Merlin handed Arthur something in what looked like a phial. 

The prince drank the contents before handing it back to Merlin. He then lay down again, turned over on his side, and closed his eyes as he hugged a pillow. Merlin continued looking down at the prince, an awed expression on his face that Morgause was all-too-familiar with. 

She frowned and closed her eyes. Just because neither she nor Nimueh had acted on their feelings for each other didn’t mean they hadn’t been real, at least for Morgause. Her love and devotion to her mentor had been very real, with all the hurt and grief that unrequited love brought with it. 

Morgause sighed and turned her head away from the crystal. She spared few (if any) good thoughts for the king of Camelot’s son, but in this one instance she had to admit to herself that if these two did have feelings for each other she fervently hoped they wouldn’t deny themselves. Such opportunities did not present themselves at will.

Her brief bout of regret over and done with, she returned her focus to where it needed to be. If Prince Arthur and his manservant were sharing a bed, wouldn’t this development be glorious if the king or others who were important found out. If this came to pass, there was guaranteed to be discord within the walls of Camelot. 

This could be just the insurance she had been looking for.

Her quest to see the demise of the king was still her number one priority, but if that failed, she could use this development to her advantage. Hadn’t Nimueh often told her that it was prudent to have a backup plan? The two had been working on that very thing when her life had been cruelly snatched from her. 

Morgause had long wished for a way to punish the boy Merlin for taking Nimueh from her, but she could have never expected that Merlin could be the catalyst for his and his master’s fall from grace.

She couldn't kill the boy herself or allow others to do so because he was too important to their cause, but she certainly could use him to get what she wanted.

**Later That Evening**

“We’re here, Giovanni,” Morgause said gleefully as she petted her horse’s thick mane and perused the citadel before her.

Camelot was prettier than she had imagined, even in the dark of night. The moonlight from the cloudless sky and firelight emanating through the windows of the castle bathed the surroundings in soft shades and shapes that would morph into bright edges and vast edifices when dawn broke on the morrow. 

She had heard stories about how impressive Camelot was, but just as Nimueh had told her, until one saw it with their own eyes, they couldn’t possibly grasp its grandeur.

Her horse’s gait now a canter as it neared their destination, Morgause sighed, momentarily overwhelmed with doubt. Was she up to the task at hand? She wanted to believe so. Nimueh would say that they had prepared for this day and that there was no room for uncertainty.

It was just too bad Nimueh was not here to see the fruits of her labour. She deserved to witness the beginnings of what was to happen just as much as Morgause, perhaps even more so.

Recomposed, Morgause slid off her horse, secured it, and headed for the castle, her mind set on a course of action, aware that these next few moments – fighting her way through knights and guards until she finally found Prince Arthur – would be the toughest part of the current plan.

She had heard stories of how difficult it was to get in and out of the citadel at night.

She, herself, had experienced her own close call as an infant when she had been smuggled out of Camelot in the early morning hours before dawn. 

Her face hidden by the helmet she wore, Morgause grinned maniacally. Oh, Uther. How supremely confident he must have been all those many years ago, thinking he was above the law and that he would not have to pay for his sins.

But he would pay. He would be held accountable. He would learn that it was not acceptable to have a dalliance with one’s best friend’s wife and then give the order that the result of that indiscretion should be killed. And he would learn that it was not acceptable to use magic to conceive a son and then kill magic users when his wife’s life was taken in exchange for the son. He would learn that there were consequences to actions.

If it was the last thing she did, Morgause would bring Uther Pendragon to his knees. She would make sure he rued the day that a week-old child and another day several years later when a young Court Sorceress had to flee Camelot in fear of their lives.

Morgause stood up straighter and carried herself like the queen she envisioned herself one day being.

She could do this.

Ah… her first victim. Morgause allowed her hopeful future to fall away for the moment as she dealt with the _collateral damage._ She’d rather not have to resort to physical violence to get what she wanted, but that was the way of the world. She longed for the days of yore when magic had been so prevalent that all one had to do was wish something and it happened. Unfortunately, magic had devolved over the centuries as a result of disuse because of fear.

Silly, stupid people. How could they not have realised what a gift they were slowly destroying.

Morgause made short work of the first two guards to confront her. It was almost laughable how easy it was to dispose of these people. Did Camelot even attempt to train these imbeciles?

Several other unfortunate souls found themselves on the wrong end of her sword before Morgause made her way into the castle and then the throne room, where it appeared a ceremony was underway. Every face, bewildered, was focused on her. She made her way to stand before Prince Arthur, who seemed dazed but ready to protect his father from whatever horror awaited him. 

Uther Pendragon was stood before a group of caped men, presumably knights, looking smug and kingly as he stared at her. Of course all the knights and guards, as well as everyone else tasked with protecting the honour of Camelot, had unsheathed their swords and were ready for battle. 

Morgause waited a few seconds for dramatic effect as she surreptitiously surveyed her surroundings. Her eyes skimmed over the line of people to her right until they fell on a familiar boy with dark hair, blue eyes, large ears, and magic so thick it nearly overwhelmed her. 

The High Priestess that had witnessed Nimueh’s death hadn’t been wrong. The boy called Merlin was indeed much more striking in person. He looked ethereal, almost fey, as if he didn’t belong here, as if he belonged in her world. And, he did belong in her world, didn’t he?

She returned her attention to the prince and threw down the gauntlet at his feet.

As expected, the king’s son picked it up and accepted. 

He looked to be formidable, but Morgause wasn’t worried. She had been trained by the best, and she was a sorceress, a high priestess. She most definitely had the advantage in this situation, even over a powerful magic user such as Merlin.

Prince Arthur asked to see her face.

Morgause wasn’t one for theatrics – she had a job to do and was here to do it – but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t just a tiny bit smug when she removed her helmet and watched the surprised expressions on everyone’s faces when they realised the prince had accepted a challenge from a woman.

She wasn’t disappointed and fully expected sputtering and back-peddling to commence forthwith. Yes, the prince was wrong-footed already. 

It was only a matter of time before she had him eating out of her palm.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

When Morgause nearly ran Prince Arthur’s manservant through a few hours later, she almost didn’t stop – the impulse to punish the boy for what he had done not so many months before was strong – but what stopped her in her tracks was that she had a much better and infinitely more satisfying plan now that she thought Merlin and the prince could possibly be more than met the eye. There was also the fact that the boy had powerful magic, was the supposed Emrys, and could be of great help to her in future.

Unlike earlier, his signature was now weak, barely noticeable, not at all a threat to her, but it was there beneath the surface, waiting to unleash itself. If Morgause could one day harness that power with her own, she would be unstoppable. 

He attempted to persuade her to withdraw from the challenge. Just as she had expected. Morgause chuckled and let Merlin know in no uncertain terms that she threw down the gauntlet, the prince picked it up, and there would be a challenge. End of story. But it was a rather endearing pleading on Merlin’s part, and she enjoyed the spectacle. The boy was adorable as he did his master’s bidding.

As she dressed for bed, Morgause’s thoughts took her back several years, to when she was thirteen years of age. She had confronted the newly-arrived-from-Camelot-banished-Court-Sorcerer, Nimueh, and asked for the truth. She had wanted to know why everyone was so secretive when anyone brought up the subject of her parentage. 

Nimueh hadn’t been forthcoming, but Morgause had been persistent and, in the end she got what she wanted.

Uther Pendragon, the King of Camelot, was her father. He had been happily married and hadn’t wanted to risk losing his wife when she found out her husband had an illicit affair with a sorcerer, so he had ordered his illegitimate child, which his wife had not known about, killed because even as magic was tolerated, it was frowned upon. For a royal to have a magic user in its family was unthinkable.

Hearing this information had been devastating. From that moment forward, Morgause hated her father and wanted nothing to do with him. She was perfectly happy with her new guardian, Nimueh, and if she never saw her father it would be too soon.

Morgause sighed, remembering why she rarely thought about this bleak time in her life. She turned back the covers on the large bed and prepared to settle in for the night. That she was now in the very castle as her father made her uncomfortable, and she again wondered if she had made the correct decision all those many years ago, but then she laughed bitterly. 

When had this ever been her decision?

She had been happy with her life; she would have been content to never set eyes on Camelot again. But Nimueh had harboured other plans for her young apprentice and had abused her position to get what she wanted. To this end she had told Morgause, who had always craved love, that there was a young girl in Camelot who shared the same parentage as Morgause, and that she was receiving all the love and attention Morgause should be receiving. 

Her name was Morgana.

The why of this had been difficult for Morgause to grasp. How could this other girl be allowed to live when she herself had been ordered to be killed?

Morgause had often cried herself to sleep at night, and she could have sworn that Nimueh had stood at the door, smirking.

It was during this time the plan had been hatched for Morgause to one day claim her place as Queen of Camelot. In the beginning she had been an unwilling participant, but over the years her views and mind changed. Eventually, she had found herself more vindictive than Nimueh. Even as she had never harbored ill-will towards her sister, she had hated her on principle, and she had longed to see Uther Pendragon suffer. The thought of waiting had been nearly impossible for her.

Now, it seemed the wait was over. Yes, it was only the beginning, and there would be much to go before Morgause would find herself Queen, but the dye had been cast. 

As she closed her eyes she could only hope she was doing the right thing.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

It was a beautiful cloudless day in Camelot and, as she had expected, the magnificent castle and its surroundings shone brighter than anything else had in Morgause’s life. It was something out of her imagination – one of those stories she had escaped to as a child when lonely. It was a wonderland, one that should have been hers.

That dream had died years ago, but there was a way for her to still get her wonderland, and this upcoming challenge against the king’s son was a step in that direction.

Knight’s code. To the death. Morgause listened to the king droning on to the crowd and wanted to laugh out loud. What did Uther Pendragon know about a knight’s code? She turned her attention to the king’s son, who was walking towards her.

Of course he tried persuading her once more to withdraw, the condescension in his voice grating. Morgause didn’t deign to respond. She had more important things to concentrate on.

As the duel began, Morgause basked in the sheer ecstasy that only competition could give her. She was good with a sword but rarely had the opportunity to show her prowess. So even though this particular duel was for one purpose, Morgause lost herself in the familiar moves that she knew like the back of her hand.

And then, just as the fight was getting good, her sword went flying out of her hand and she saw her life flash before her. She was done for. All her hard work for naught. Only, not, because Prince Arthur motioned for her to retrieve her sword.

Morgause was confused, only she wasn’t, because hadn’t Nimueh said that Ygraine was as honourable as they came? It would make sense that the son was the same as his mother.

Blessed goddess for that.

But stupid boy. Really, truly, stupid.

Once the fight resumed, it was immediately evident that something had changed. The prince wasn’t giving his all anymore. Yes, he continued to show his acumen as a skilled fighter, but the intensity had definitely lessened. Morgause had assumed that she might have to resort to magic to best him. As it was, she just might be able to defeat him on her own. 

It was disappointing. Why was he doing this? The king’s son couldn’t know that she had no intention of killing him. But perhaps he didn’t realise what he was or wasn’t doing. Maybe he was subconsciously not giving it his all because she was a woman. The thought disgusted Morgause, but then again it would make things that much easier for her. She let it go and carried on. 

And then it was over. Morgause won. She held her sword to Prince Arthur’s heart and told him to meet her three days hence for a challenge of her choosing, that if he would do this she would spare his life. Of course, he accepted. 

It was amazing what one agreed to with a sword pointed at them.

All the same, Morgause wished it had been Uther on the other end of the sword. That would have been so much more satisfying.

As she prepared to leave, the Court Physician looked at her injured shoulder and insisted she get it examined more carefully. Morgause didn’t think the injury necessitated such but was curious, so she agreed and followed him into the citadel and into the castle to the physician’s quarters.

Upon entering she looked around. Had she been in here as an infant? Was this where she had been the night she was smuggled out of Camelot? Nimueh told her that the Court Physician made it possible for her to escape. How had he done that?

Gaius told her she was fortunate the wound was not worse and tended to the mostly superficial abrasion, appearing pensive. He looked at her for several seconds, seemingly studying her before mentioning that she looked familiar. He asked if she had ever been to Camelot before.

There was no way Gaius recognised her since she had been an infant when she left, but she had heard that she resembled her mother. But he looked confused, as if he was trying to place her. There was no way he could connect her to the baby he had helped smuggle out of Camelot all those years ago. Was there? She told him she had been in Camelot as a baby, so she doubted Gaius would remember her. Perhaps she should have lied, but it was too late for that now.

If he did remember and somehow connected her and the baby he had helped smuggle out of Camelot… that could be a complication, but when and if that happened, she would deal with it.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

What was it with these people? Didn’t residents in Camelot wait until they were invited in before entering? Obviously not. Morgause walked out of the bedchamber and was surprised to see the Lady Morgana. Of everyone in Camelot, Morgana was the last person Morgause wanted or expected to see.

Morgause had hated Morgana for years. She had envied her and wanted her life. She had spent her days wondering what her sister was doing and thinking how lucky she was.

Now, standing before her, Morgause found herself in awe, although she didn’t quite know why. She guessed it was that they were sisters. She was not without feelings and understood what it meant to be family. Just because she had never had one didn’t mean she didn’t want one. And here her family was, stood before her. 

But Morgause couldn’t tell her.

She shook herself out of her reverie when Morgana asked after her shoulder, and said something about it not being that bad, or so she thought. She felt as if she were in a fog. She needed Morgana to leave. This was most disquieting. Not at all a part of the plan.

Morgana seemed fragile, not at all like the pompous entitled person Morgause had envisioned her being. Perhaps Morgana wanted a sister as much as Morgause did. Whatever the case, this was not at all a good thing and Morgause needed to get this out of her head as soon as possible. 

She could not allow anyone to alter her course.

Uther. He was who she needed to concentrate on. Not Morgana. 

Morgause opened her mouth to say she was tired and wanted to retire early. What came out, though, was something about Morgana looking tired. It was as if someone else were doing the talking for her.

And then there was the way her sister studied her intently as she said she hadn’t been sleeping well. It was odd, as if she was trying to figure something out, and then she asked if maybe they had met before. Morgause couldn’t speak so she shook her head, but she soon gathered her thoughts and said she was glad they met now. 

And she wasn’t lying. 

Nothing had changed about their pasts and Morgause still envied and, yes, loathed Morgana, but as she had learned long ago, perception and reality were often quite different from one another.

Morgana made a comment about the bracelet Morgause wore, and this was nearly more than Morgause could take. The healing bracelet had been her mother’s. Morgana’s mother’s. 

Morgause hadn’t ever been told what became of the woman who gave birth to her, but she assumed the sorceress had met a ghastly end like so many others.

The bracelet was Morgause’s most cherished possession, but for some reason she thought Morgana needed it more. She offered it to her sister, insisting that it would help her sleep. As expected, Morgana said she couldn’t. She hastily excused herself.

Morgause said she hoped Morgana would remember her fondly. They stared at one another for several seconds before Morgana took her leave.

The door closed and Morgause sat down, replaying what had just happened. She had not been prepared for any of that. 

But she had to forget about it. She had a job to do and do it she would. She would meet the king’s son in three days and take the next step in her plan that she and Nimueh had planned to precision. And she would go find Merlin in the morning and figure out a way to use him and his magic to her advantage. She wasn’t at all sure how she could do that, but she would think of something.

She removed her bracelet as she walked towards the bedchamber, thinking about the tired and fragile-looking Morgana and how she really did need the bracelet.

The bracelet.

Morgana.

Morgause swallowed and her breathing sped up.

Just maybe the bracelet was the answer to her long-term plans. 

Not Merlin.

Morgause studied it closely. She had been told that her mother charmed it to help her daughter sleep, but there was no reason Morgause could not charm it to also make Morgana more susceptible to doing her sister’s bidding for her in the quest to one day ascend the throne.

If Morgana were to find out that she was Uther Pendragon's daughter, she would be furious. Perhaps not furious enough to kill him – she didn't seem the type of person to harm a flea – but with a little help, perhaps her mind could be changed. She could also take care of making Merlin pay for killing Nimueh.

A few hours later, the bracelet charmed, Morgause quietly entered Morgana’s room and set it on the table at the end of the bed. There was a small part of her that felt guilty for this, but she needed someone within the walls of Camelot to assure her future was sound, and this would ensure that the two could very well have a future together.

By the time Morgause returned, her sister would be under the effects of the charm and would be a great help in getting her what she coveted.

It was a win-win situation.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Morgause watched from the shadows as Prince Arthur and Merlin walked into the clearing, looking refreshed and chummy as ever as they shared intimate-to-anyone-who-could-see glances and silent conversations with their eyes. It was a welcome sight. The closer Merlin and Arthur were, the better. Not only would they be shunned for their behavior when everyone found out, but when Arthur found out Merlin had magic, the repercussions would be so much worse. The mere thought had Morgause giddy.

She found herself mesmerised with their interactions, but as curious as she was, she had a job to do so she made herself known. She told Arthur to put his head on the block. As expected, the prince did as asked. Morgause had an inkling that her previous mention of his mother was the reason — he must be practically salivating at the prospect of learning more about her. 

Nimueh had been spot on when she told Morgause that Arthur would be vulnerable regarding Ygraine.

How very gullible the prince was. Hadn’t Uther taught his son to be discerning? Apparently, not. 

Merlin, on the other hand, was visibly concerned and was looking at Arthur with terror-filled eyes. Morgause was certain Merlin didn’t trust her. Thankfully, his apprehension seemingly had little effect on Arthur, but he did have magic and, if he so chose to do so, he could physically remove Arthur. He didn’t, or hadn’t so far, but Morgause knew that if he wanted to, he could, and that was more than enough reason for her to be on high alert. 

That he had not already tried something was somewhat surprising, but then again, his magic had to be guarded, didn’t it? Pity, that. Well, not really, because she did not wish to engage in a magical battle this day, but there was a small part of Morgause that wished to test her abilities against his. But that would have to wait. There was a time and place for a magic reveal, and this was not it.

The challenge met, she granted Arthur a wish and, of course, he wanted to know more about his mother. The longing look he gave her when she asked if he wanted to talk to her in person was familiar. What Morgause wouldn’t have given as a child to meet her family.

Morgause gathered her magic and allowed it to swirl around her as she incanted the spell. She had only done this once before, with Nimueh’s help, but she had been trained well and felt confident she could do this. Closing her eyes, she felt her body shift.

Arthur cried. Real tears. And Morgause played to that. Through her, Ygraine’s voice told Arthur the story he needed to hear: it was all his father’s fault. Uther had orchestrated Arthur’s magical birth and had sacrificed his wife in the process. Morgause did lay it on rather thickly, but she had to make certain Arthur understood how ruthless Uther had been throughout all of this. There could be no doubts in the prince’s mind that his father was evil.

It was over and soon Morgause found herself alone.

Now it was time to wait.

**Later That Day via the Crystal**

Enough time had passed. Morgause’s original plan had been for her to wait until the following morning to see how badly the chasm between Uther and his son was, but she hadn’t the patience to wait.

Sadly, she no longer imagined that Arthur would have killed his father – he had proven that he was far too weak to do that – but that was fine. Morgause now had other avenues at her disposal to see to the end of Uther Pendragon. 

Regardless of Prince Arthur’s weakness when it came to his father, Morgause was confident that such devastating news as the king’s son had learned was bound to have done its damage.

She concentrated on the crystal, her breathing speeding up. Slowly, an image of Uther Pendragon and his son morphed into existence.

And...

Arthur did not appear to be the least bit upset with his father. In fact, they looked as if they were having an ordinary cordial conversation. Uther even grinned and looked happy.

Morgause’s countenance went from glee to displeasure and she felt angry enough to bring down the fortress that surrounded her.

No. This couldn’t be. She had been so supremely certain that this would work. How was it that Arthur could now be speaking to his father as if he hadn’t heard that his father had sacrificed his wife to have an heir?

But then she sighed.

Of course.

Merlin.

This was his fault. It had to be. There was no other explanation.

She took the crystal in hand and threw it across the room.

“Damn, you, Uther Pendragon, but not to worry. Your daughter in Camelot will do what your son could not. It will take time, but I will get my revenge if it is the last thing I do.”


End file.
